Readers: High-poverty schools need discipline, and so do political candidates

Who is vetting our political candidates?

Why aren't candidates being fully vetted by their parties before being allowed to run in primary races, much less the general elections? That's how we get a Colleen Davis.

And why don't those same parties hold their officeholders accountable when they owe thousands to the municipalities in which they serve. The example there - Ernest "Trippi" Congo.

Speaking of Mr. Congo - why hasn't the council president or the mayor moved to garnish Mr. Congo's city salary to collect what is owed. Why not put his lucrative business property under lien for eventual sheriff's sale?

These are two very visible reasons why Delaware's citizens and residents need access to the referendum process and electoral recall.

Too few people have too much power with little or no check on that power. They work for us - let us show them the consequences for their actions.

On a side note, traditionally, newspapers have served as a check on candidates - but with the USA Today Network and Gannett having cut newsroom positions and budget well into the bone - who will take up this task?

--Guy VanderLek, Wilmington

Ca. should require fire-resistant homes

“It never rains in southern California” that probably rings a bell and it’s true.

Problem is, In that windy, dry, canyon, brushy environment, fires are a fact of life. Still they rebuild, only to burn again, on average about every 10 years.

Here’s an idea, instead of California laws requiring solar, how about laws mandating fire-resistant homes. Here on the East Coast, where hurricanes create much damage, tougher building codes have long ago been mandated and have paid huge benefits. Then FEMA capped payouts to those who are willing to gamble and rebuild, but the costs above that cap are at their risk, not ours. Make sense? So why not something similar in California? California fires are very fast moving, a fire resistant house stands a much better chance of survival, as would the residents within.

--Charles Eary, Selbyville

High-poverty schools need discipline

I agree with most of the liberal wish list Matthew Albright presented in his Nov. 18, 2018, column, "Analysis: Will Democrats push Delaware to the left?"

Nevertheless, before I support "increased funding for high-poverty schools," I will need to see evidence that increased funding for high-poverty schools results in better scores on objective tests. Keep in mind, Albright was not advocating equal funding with middle-class schools, but more funding than for middle-class schools.

More than anything, high-poverty schools need more discipline. This would include an increased willingness to permanently expel young people who violently resist being educated and who violently interfere with the education of young people who are trying to learn.

--John Engelman, Wilmington

Letter writer needs to look in the mirror

The writer of “Pray for better political leadership” taught me a new word: “gaslighter.”

I had to go online to look up a word describing someone who accuses others of what they themselves are doing. Other terms suggested by Psychology Today are “sociopath” and “narcissist.” “Orwellian” is another.

Example: the writer says Democrats, since Trump, ha­ve provoked violence and hate. Wasn’t that the White Nationalists, whom the president termed “good people”? Those guys who attacked the peaceful protestors, killing one of them. When Mr. Singer speaks of “violence and hate not seen since the Civil War—so sad,” he even appropriates Tweety's syntax—so eighth grade.